Cosmetic container

ABSTRACT

The invention contemplates a propel-repel swivel lipstick or the like container utilizing two relatively rotatable tubular members with cam formations which coact with follower structure on an internally guided carrier. The inner rotatable member is selected and formed for radially complaint deformation, being initially constructed in its unstressed state with an oversize radial dimension which will assure interference with the effective bore diameter of the outer tubular member. Upon assembly of the parts, the inner member is radially inwardly deformed and by its compliant nature provides continuous radially outward resilient loading against the bore of the outer member, thus assuring a controlled degree of friction, to retain a given actuated condition of the container.

United States Patent 1191 111 3,817,636 Ritzenhoff 1 June 18, 1 974 [541 COSMETIC CONTAINER Prima Examiner-Lawrence Charles 75 1 1 1 H Rt 11 i men or 2:22:" I Zen Mdrburg Attorney, Agent, or FirmSandoe, Hopgood and y Calimafde [73] Assigneez Gerbruder Seidel KG, Marburg, I Germany 57 ABSTRACT i221 Fllcd: p 7, I972 The invention contemplates a propel-repel swivel lip- 21 1 AWL 237 03 stick or the like container utilizing two relatively rotatable tubular members with cam formations which coact with follower structure on an internally guided [52] US. .l. 401/78 can-rich The inner rowmble member i selected and [5| l nt. Ll A45d 40/06 formed f radially Complaint deformation being i held of Search t t d i unstressed t t an over 401/861 87 size radial dimension which will assure interference with the effective bore diameter of the outer tubular [56] References member. Upon assembly of the parts, the inner mem- UNlTED STATES PATENTS ber is radially inwardly deformed and by its compliant 1510 191111 5/1933 Vogcl 40l/86 x nature p ide con inuous adi lly outward resilient 2.074.016 3/1937 Corycll 401/86 x loading against the bore of the outer member, thus as- 2.333.!1l2 ll/l943 Nyden 401/78 suring a controlled degree of friction, to retain a given 3.083.822 4/1963 Clark 401/87 X actuated condition of the container, 3298,50) H1967 Holtgren.. 401/78 5151 1.575 5/1970 Berins 401/73 10 Claims, 9 Drawing g es 1 COSMETIC CONTAINER The invention relates to a propel-repel swivel lipstick or the like container construction.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of the character indicated.

Another object is to provide such a construction wherein smooth frictional resistance is encountered for all actuations, thus serving to retain a given actuated condition.

A specific object is to meet the above objects without increasing the number of parts in prior constructions.

Another specific object is to achieve the above objects with a structure having inherent capacity for relatively simple assembly.

A general object is to provide such a container which is inherently low in cost, simple and foolproof in operation, and basic in the sense that it lends itself to embodiment in a wide variety of decorative external appearances, without requiring change in the internal structure utilized for carrier positioning.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of actuating parts of a fully assembled container of the invention, the carrier of which is partly broken away and shown in the same section plane;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the inner one of the tubular parts of FIG. 1, in its unstressed state, i.e., prior to assembly;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation of the outer one of the tubular parts of FIG. 1, partly broken away and in sectron;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken at 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 to show a modificatron;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 to show a modificatron;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views in elevation to illustrate modified containers, the same being partly broken-away and in section to reveal internal detail; and

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified outer tubular member.

Referring initially to FIGS. l to 4, the invention is shown in application to a three-piece swivel lipstick or the like container, comprising an inner tubular member 10 rotatable within an outer tubular member or sleeve 11. Lipstick pomade or the like, suggested at 12, is supported by the mounting cup or socket of a carrier member 13, slidably guided by and within the inner tubular member 10. Cam-follower means 14, shown in duplicate (14-14), at diametrically opposed locations, is formed integrally with carrier member 13 and projects radially outward, for coaction with propulsion-cam formations on both tubular members 10-11. In the case of the inner tubular member 10, the cam formations are helical slots 15-15 in equally spaced and interlaced relation; in the case of the outer tubular member 11, the cam formations are straight, being defined by any two diametrically opposed grooves between pairs of adjacent radially inwardly projecting axial ridges 16. The ridges 16 extend substantially the full axial length of sleeve 11, the latter being shown with an upper radially inward flange 17 adjacent the upper ends of ridges 16, and a lower radially inward flange IS axially spaced from the lower ends of ridges 16, to the extent D.

The inner tubular member 10 is open at the upper or dispensing end, and at its lower end it includes an enlarged base or operating handle 19, which may be integrally formed with member 10. Preferably, member 10 is a single injection-molded plastic part, of suitable material exhibiting good memory and compliance, for example, high-density polyethylene or polypropylene; such materials are further known for their selflubricating or low-friction properties. As shown, its bore 20 extends well within the base 19, and a radial shoulder 21 is defined at juncture with the tubular body portion encased by the sleeve 11. A second, and smaller, radial shoulder or bead 22 is offset from shoulder 21 to define a peripheral groove for axial location of the lower flange 18 of sleeve 11. Axially beyond bead 22, the helical cam slots 15-15 extend all the way to the dispensing end, being open at said end, as best seen in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 also serves to illustrate that in its unstressed condition, i.e., prior to assembly, the inner tubular member 10 is generally outwardly flaring or conical commencing with a smaller radius R, designed to freely rotate and coaxially stabilize within the effective bore circle defined by inner edges of ridges 16, and terminating with a larger radius R having a predetermined interference with said effective bore circle. Since the flared part of member 10 must be radially inwardly compressed in the course of assembly, and since it is desired that slots 15-15 should be of substantially uniform width when the container is assembled, these slots 15-15 will widen or diverge upwardly when member 10 is unstressed, all as suggested by the showing in FIG. 2.

To assemble the described parts and mechanism, the carrier 13 is first dropped into the bore of inner tubular member 10; preferably, the insertion is all the way into this bore, with followers 14-14 engaged in the lower ends of cam slots 15-15. The divergent ribbon-like free ends 23-23 are then squeezed together for insertion into the lower end of sleeve 11. By having appropriately selected the flange-to-bead (18-22) interference, assemblyis completed by snap action as flange 18 forces transient deformation of bead 22. At this juncture, the cam region of the inner tubular member is radially compressed by limiting contact with the effective bore cylinder established by ridges 16, resulting in a longitudinally distributed and circumferentially uniform, continuously resiliently loaded, smooth frictional contact with the sleeve 11. This relationship is retained for the life of the article; it imparts a luxuriant feel" to the propulsion action and serves to retain a given actuated positioning of the parts. Not only does this smooth frictional contact serve to lightly retain the parts MI -11 against relative rotation, but these parts are effectively locked in position once the pomade 12 is applied; effective locking action follows from the axially downward thrust developed by pomade application, such thrust being applied via the cam followers 14-14 to the compliant helical ribbon members 23-23, thus developing their greater radial loading upon the bore of sleeve 11, by reason of the radial expansion which necessarily accompanies axial compression of a helix.

FIG. 5 serves to illustrate that the cam formations in the outer tubular member or sleeve 11 may be simple straight grooves 25-25, formed as in an injectionmolding of the sleeve of FIG. 5, using a suitable plastic.

FIG. 6 serves to illustrate that the flaring or generally conical shape of the cam region of the inner tubular member may be limited to one or both halves of the cam region. In FIG. 6, double-opposed upper and lower cam regions A-B are characterized by the radius range R -R already described. However, the interlaced helical cam slots 26-26 in FIG. 6 terminate short ofa circumferentially continuous reduced upper end, of radius R Carrier assembly is performed by twisted transient local expansion of one of the slots 26-26, to permit lateral insertion of the carrier, with its followers 14-14 preferably positioned at the lower ends of cams 26-26, adjacent bead 22. Sleeve assembly over bead 22 is as previously described.

In FIG. 7, the inner tubular member has the same base 19, shoulder 21 and open-ended cam-slot formations as described for FIG. 2. The point of difference as to member 10 is that the dispensing end is terminated by a radially outward peripheral bead or flange 27, formed as two integral semicircular halves 27-27 integrally united to the respective ends 23-23. Bead halves 27-27' align for abutment, as at 28, in register with the otherwise open ends of cam slots 15-15, as will be understood. Stated in other words, one or both of the bead halves 27-27 provides a short circumferential projection which closes off the otherwise open end of the cam slot 15-15 involved, to serve a camfollower retaining function. Since radial shoulders 27-21 are sufficient for axial retention of sleeve 11, there is no need to provide end flanges 17 or 18, and the sleeve 11 may therefore be of uniform crosssection throughout, i.e., having a bore characterized solely by longitudinal ridges 16 or grooves 25. Assembly of the carrier to inner member 10 is as described for FIGS. 1 to 4; assembly thereafter involves radial compression of the ends 23-23 with a slight arcuate overlap of adjacent ends of bead halves 27-27', to allow insertion in the sleeve 11. Assembly is completed when the bead halves 27-27 emerge out the upper end of sleeve 11, resiliently and radially outwardly snapping into the position shown in FIG. 7.

In the arrangement of FIG. 8, the upper end of inner tubular member 10 is again beaded or radially outwardly flanged, as suggested by the reference numeral 27. But the sleeve 11" is of additional length beyond the upper ends of ridges l6, and an integral radially inward flange 29 overlaps the bead means 27-27'; flange 29 thus establishes an axial region of width D for retaining bead 27-27 in freely rotatable relation with the upper ends of ridges 16. The lower end of sleeve 11 may optionally be radially inwardly flanged (as at 17, FIG. 3) or unflanged (as in FIG. 7). Assembly is made as described for FIG. 7, the only difference being that bead-halves 27-27 snap into the axial space D beneath flange 29, rather than externally as in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 illustrates a modified sleeve, suitable as a replacement for sleeve 11 in FIG. 7 and characterized by helical cam grooves 30-30 rather than the straight grooves suggested in FIG. 5. The form of FIG. 9 lends itself to injection-molding of plastics, and the helical advance at 30-30 should be in the direction opposite that of slots 15-15, to develop axial propulsion of carrier 13, as will be understood.

It will be seen that the invention meets all stated objects with simple readily fabricated parts. The externally exposed parts and/or finishing may be of metal or plastic, to suit customer desires and decorative effects. The described sleeves ll-11-l1" may be simply formed in progressive draws from flat ductile sheet metal, such as aluminum or brass, the ridges or cam formations 16 being produced in the course of the drawing operation.

While the invention has been described in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departure from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A swivel-action container for selectively propelling and retracting lipstick or the like via an open dispensing end of the container, comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable tubular members having propulsion cam formations, and a carrier member guided within the inner tubular member and having cam-follower means tracking cam formations of both tubular members, the outer tubular member being an open-ended sleeve having its cam formation longitudinally along its substantial length and within its bore, the inner tubular member having a slotted cam formation and extending helically along the bore of the outer tubular member and including an actuating handle projecting axially beyond said outer tubular member at the other end, the material of said inner tubular member being compliantly yieldable and having an unstressed generally conical contour over at least a fraction of the axial extent of the cam formation therein, said conical contour extending from a minimum diameter near the handle end to a maximum diameter nearer the dispensing end, said minimum diameter clearing and said maximum diameter exceeding the effective bore diameter of the outer tubular member, and axial-locating means coacting between said tubular members to retain assembly of said members, with said conical contour radially inwardly compliantly deformed into continuous resiliently loaded slidable friction contact with the bore of said outer tubular member; whereby in use of pomade carried by said carrier member, any given carrierpropulsion location is retained, to the point of being effectively locked by driven radially outward forcing of portions of said inner tubular member, in reaction to the force of pomade application.

2. The container of claim 1, in which said inner tubular member integrally includes a radially outward flange at the dispensing end and in which the handle extends radially outward of the tubular cam-slotted portion between said flange and handle, said outer tubular member being retained between said flange and handle.

3. The container of claim 1, in which the outer tubular member is of metal and in which the axial-locating means on the inner tubular member is a radially outward bead at one axial end of the cam formation, the cam formation in the bore of the outer tubular member terminating short of the end corresponding to said one axial end, and an integral radially inward flange at said one axial end of the outer tubular member, said bead being axially located by and between said flange and the adjacent end of the cam-formation part of the bore of said outer tubular member.

4. The container of claim l, in which the slotted cam formation extends continuously to and is open at the dispensing end of the inner tubular member.

5. The container of claim 4, in which the unstressed generally conical contour of said inner tubular member extends continuously to substantially said dispensing end.

6. The container of claim 4, in which the cam formation in said inner tubular member comprises 1 two equally angularly spaced interlaced helical cams, said cam formation in the outer tubular member being at least in duplicate and in equally angularly spaced interlaced relation, and said cam-follower means being at diametrically opposed locations and having like engagements with corresponding interlaced cam formations of both tubular members.

7. The container of claim 4, in which the slotted cam formation includes at the dispensing end an angular projection of such extent that when the container is assembled the cam-follower means will be retained by said projection against loss via the dispensing end.

8. The container of claim 3, in which said bead and flange are at the dispensing end of the container.

9. The container of claim 8, in which the radially inward extend of said flange is to a radius less than the maximum radially projecting extent of said camfollower means, thereby retaining assembly of said carrier.

10. The container of claim 3, in which said bead and flange are at the handle end of the container.

=l k =l l= 

1. A swivel-action container for selectively propelling and retracting lipstick or the like via an open dispensing end of the container, comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable tubular members having propulsion cam formations, and a carrier member guided within the inner tubular member and having camfollower means tracking cam formations of both tubular members, the outer tubular member being an open-ended sleeve having its cam formation longitudinally along its substantial length and within its bore, the inner tubular member having a slotted cam formation and extending helically along the bore of the outer tubular member and including an actuating handle projecting axially beyond said outer tubular member at the other end, the material of said inner tubular member being compliantly yieldable and having an unstressed generally conical contour over at least a fraction of the axial extent of the cam formation therein, said conical contour extending from a minimum diameter near the handle end to a maximum diameter nearer the dispensing end, said minimum diameter clearing and said maximum diameter exceeding the effective bore diameter of the outer tubular member, and axiallocating means coacting between said tubular members to retain assembly of said members, with said conical contour radially inwardly compliantly deformed into continuous resiliently loaded slidable friction contact with the bore of said outer tubular member; whereby in use of pomade carried by said carrier member, any given carrier-propulsion location is retained, to the point of being effectively locked by driven radially outward forcing of portions of said inner tubular member, in reaction to the force of pomade application.
 2. The container of claim 1, in which said inner tubular member integrally includes a radially outward flange at the dispensing end and in which the handle extends radially outward of the tubular cam-slotted portion between said flange and handle, said outer tubular member being retained between said flange and handle.
 3. The container of claim 1, in which the outer tubular member is of metal and in which the axial-locating means on the inner tubular member is a radially outward bead at one axial end of the cam formation, the cam formation in the bore of the outer tubular member terminating short of the end corresponding to said one axial end, and an integral radially inward flange at said one axial end of the outer tubular member, said bead being axially located by and between said flange and the adjacent end of the cam-formation part of the bore of said outer tubular member.
 4. The container of claim 1, in which the slotted cam formation extends continuously to and is open at the dispensing end of the inner tubular member.
 5. The container of claim 4, in which the unstressed generally conical contour of said inner tubular member extends continuously to substantially said dispensing end.
 6. The container of claim 4, in which the cam formation in said inner tubular member comprises two equally angularly spaced interlaced helical cams, said cam formation in the outer tubular member being at least in duplicate and in equally angularly spaced interlaced relation, and said cam-follower means being at diametrically opposed locations and having like engagements with corresponding interlaced cam formations of both tubular members.
 7. The container of claim 4, in which the slotted cam formation includes at the dispensing end an angular projection of such extent that when the container is assembled the cam-follower means will be retained by said projection against loss via the dispensing end.
 8. The container of claim 3, in which said bead and flange are at the dispensing end of the container.
 9. The container of claim 8, in which the radially inward extend of said flange is to a radius less than the maximum radially projecting extent of said cam-follower means, thereby retaining assembly of said carrier.
 10. The container of claim 3, in which said bead and flange are at the handle end of the container. 